"Our programmes are implemented around the country, ranging from shelters, field work, daycare centres to accommodation. But there is still a lot of concealed homelessness, which we cannot register," Kuljanac said, noting that it was hard to define a homeless person.
A survey in 2013/2014 showed a quarter of the people polled saying they were not homeless and had never been homeless despite the fact that the survey was conducted only among the users of services for the homeless, he said.
According to data by the Ministry of Labour, the Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, the number of people included in the social security programmes in the past year stood at some 3,600. A quarter of them were continually included in the programmes.
While most homeless people are men - their average age is 42 - homeless women need even more assistance than men, Kralji Ulice told the STA.
In the past couple of years, mental health disorders have been on the rise among the homeless, as has the share of young drug.
Given the rise in homelessness, the ministry expanded its programmes in the last two years into local communities that had no such programmes in the past.
Currently, the ministry is co-funding 22 programmes worth EUR 1.4m.
The network of homeless programmes includes registration, shelters, daycare centres, field work, information offices and accommodation. A total of 315 beds are available in closed shelters, open shelters and accommodation facilities.
The latter has proven the most beneficial form of aid. It involves advising, counselling, individual consultations and the actual usage of accommodation, all of which is free of charge. Individuals can, however, give contributions.
According to Kuljanac, Slovenia has about 15 shelters across the country. But shelters, although much needed, do not solve the problem of homelessness.
He believes the shelters programme should be upgraded to provide more social support, so that shelters would be only a temporary solution until a person finds accommodation.
